The thermometer reads -20°C
Just outside the door
I watch sunlight filter through.
Clear skies at such temperatures
Steam from my breath.
The dog still has all his energy
But my fingertips exposed
Rapidly induce the fear of frostbite
Tingling away in an odd sensation
One knows better than to ignore.
The trees cackle at the wind,
No leaves left to protect,
And snow crunches loudly under foot
As one trods across
The slippery, frozen ‘stead.

Tracked time to lose myself
Two pencils and a measure
Which broke down each snapped line
Dull blades and drill bits.
Like settled dust
The wind blew over untacked down recycling
Snow began to fall
And the ground I had become familiar with
Turned hard and markedly frozen

Please take the silence out of my morning
Take me towards what I’ve dreamt
For the sand in my eyes reminds me every day
That the cold season is rapidly approaching.
But if the day hasn’t come and darkness still rides
Let me sleep here a little while longer
While the wind isn’t blowing so dangerously
While the pain doesn’t hurt so tremendously
For my senses haven’t yet taken over
In a long line of tin cups and fevers
That keep me hoping the silence stays a moment or two
For me to have a chance to be soothed.

There’s a warm wind blowin’ ’round here
Sky’s been turning red
Dog keeps pawing at me
Leaves’ve started fallin’ down
I’ve got one too many fancies
Rollin’ on down the road
Keeps my mind a wondering
Even as I lay in bed
Had to work hard for it
Found it in a single apple
That I caught just before it
Found its way to the ground
So I’ll keep watching
For you at the harvest

I shared my evening with Moon
Who called me out to sing
Amidst the blowing wind, still warm,
Among ten thousand stars aglow.
I sang my song of mystery
That flowed as river flows
Caught in dramatic scenes of adventure
Tales of foreign lands.
Many parts were left as vague
To keep full truths unknown,
A meagre lesson amidst the stars
Who’ve been around once before.
My soul, it spoke through all the smoke
Allegory or not: truisms,
That called me off to bed at last,
A fair sight for evening Moon.